There... - Bank, Where did all the flowers go, Kovdyr, The future, Does a person think?

music: 'resurection' (c) ppk /rmx
 from: Nik-O_TL: 4 u ZX-Time!/1-mag-02


(c) Roman Savchenko.
   Rzhev.

             Bank.

  Highway illuminated by two stripes of light
headlights, slowly crawled under the car. Not Pain-
shoy camper with tinted windows
crawled along the mountainside down to the city. Around
only darkness and two stripes of light.
   Before the robbery they always spend about an hour
rode along the dark deserted streets. Them-
the note helped Guido concentrate. Gwi-
before, a man of about thirty with long blond hair
with brown hair, sat in the van in a chair and
prepared by the Bank.
   They found Guido in one of the provincial
ny towns about a year ago. He occupied
by entertaining passers-by on the square
with their unusual abilities.  He Was
something like a clairvoyant and telepath. Ours
He acquired his abilities when he survived slavery.
the diactive horror of Chernobyl. B Chernobyl it
ended up as an international rescuer.
For unemployment benefits, even increased
new in connection with his merits, will not last long
you live.  Only Chernobylsky saved him
"gift", thanks to which the trio already
successfully robbedfour Banks.
   - What's there, Guido? - Red leaned out
window between the interior and the body. - Not me-
Shay!  Everything is great, even too great. System
simple.  True, the castle is a goat castle, but
he needs another five minutes.
   - Then we turn to the Bank.
   - Yeah.
   They always started the same way. Were looking for
Bank, Guido came there and deposited individual
dual safe your photo, incidentally
studying video cameras, alarms and locks.
The system of locks and other devices does not
interested. You just had to remember them
location.
   Then they rode around the dark city, and
Guido probed the premises of the Bank and, ready
got it ready for their arrival. Sometimes he joked. Here
last time, for example, a door mat with
the inscription "Welcome" hung on the door
the door of the safe was opened, and the video cameras showed
or just pictures from "Penthouse", which
ended up in the manager's desk...
   Everything was as usual. It was already about
hard work that didn't even touch
nerves and didn’t scare me - I ran out of money,
Ready to work again.
   The Bank appeared around the bend, illuminated
floodlights from the lawn around. ***
   It wasn't difficult. The safe was opened - by them
All that remains is to throw the cache into bags and leave.
Guido was still sitting in the van. Perego-
They didn't need vorniks. Redhead with Spider
went into the Bank together, and Guido showed
police patrols, occasionallypassing by
past, a picture of a securely locked Bank.
   - What the hell! It's just a little thing here!
   - They knew it. - Let's check the chalk-
There are some boxes, and at the same time we’ll take a photo of Gwi. - This is
not included in our plan, but... Ah... Fuck it
- come on.  Red opened first
box with a photo.
   - Listen, why does he need a photo here?
   - You'll eat... I don't care at all,
If only the safe was always open. Wow! Here
some rich bitch put together a whole bunch of
drowning! Pearl. - Well, it seems to me that something
what do you consider the state of her Without pity
may forget at some party.
   -  Briefly speaking! I'm done. The redhead turned around and
I felt my hair stand on end - the door
the safe is slowly closing, as if reluctantly,
las.
   - Let's run!

 * * *

   - The only thing that connects everything -
servitude - that's him. One of the policemen
huddled around four monitors that
showed recordings from cameras of four banks,
pointed his finger at the long-haired young man
person.
   - But not a single camera shows his face.
   -  Stop! Right here. He turned to the
least. Let's increase.
   - This is nonsense... There is no face. Maybe this is for-
such a letter? Or what.
   - Most likely... The police are confused
The men moved away from the monitors.
   - Dead number. What's in the testimony?
employee?
   - He doesn’t remember faces. He says he put some
some small change, personal safe. None
no detailsremembers.
------------------------------------------

(c) Evgeny Borisov.
    Staritsa.


    Where did all the flowers go?

   I didn't understand anything. Gena still understood
less.  And our on-board computer in general
refused to work when we used it
tried to analyze the situation.
   Our Onboard Neural Superlogic with
with all its millions of logical conclusions
for a second it turned out to be just a box from an element-
mi. Every single one of his neural circuits went
to a dead end, and the computer began to pump
tension in your brain until it works
the defense was strong. Yes, and in Gena’s and my brains
The porridge was bubbling. And there was a reason.
   Imagine this situation.  you
fly up to the planet, go into orbit and
you begin to observe. From above you see the sweat-
stunning beauty of nature: high snow-
feny mountains, transparent clean seas, dense
lush forests, flowering steppes. You are a BB
you choose a rocky peninsula as a landing site
ditch that juts out into the Big Lake, and begins
take the descent.  Landing without incident. you
you put on a light spacesuit, burning with impatience
I want to take a walk through this wonderful forest, which
stands like a wall on the Shore. The gate is open
rush, you skip and run down the ramp
and... What do you think you see? Yes, yes
where the rocky peninsula ends.
Forest?.. You don’t see anything!.. Well, not really
nothing,of course, but that wonderful forest is restored
the one who kidnapped you is not yet in orbit and in peace
no... But there are stones. rocky plain
from the Lake Shore and as far as the eye can see
no matter which way you look. And everything is so gray
Joyless, sad... And the sky above your head
even gray tone, smooth impenetrable
mine is like a concrete wall. And such strength
ka comes from this whole landscape that wants
I want to get on all fours and like a wolf
howl.
   Gena and I quickly returned to the ship,
took everything out of the recording devices
information about what was happening overboard during
time of descent and fed them to our superlo-
geek.  Up to a certain point, the computer
digested the information very smartly, but
then he developed acute indigestion,
invariably ending in complete constipation. And
like this several times until we realized
replace several Blocks, turning them into
the most super logic in ordinary digital
computer. "Tsifrovik" processed information
Without hesitation, and now Gena and I are in vain
tried to understand what happened. We are one
knew for sure: what we saw from orbit was not
Delirium, not a mirage - this is reality; what
surrounded our ship now - also real
ness.  But these two realities do not fit
bodies to dock.  In the end we
They stopped combining incompatible things and sending
We wanted to take a walk through the rocky desert. A
at the same timelook at the stones here.
   Having left the ship for the second time, we are no longer
why they weren’t surprised, and soon they were completely
There were stories about a disappeared forest. Scattering of stones
turned out to be so interesting that we
They collected armfuls of samples until
our spider-robots did not declare that they could not
gut to carry More.
   Results issued by express laboratory
ria delighted Gena.
   - Just look! - he cried -
pointing your finger at the display screen. I looked and
whistled.
   - Ores of all metals! All natural
metals! You understand!?
   I understood and completely fell into a calf-
whose delight...
   - Can you imagine what kind of collection we have?
Let's collect!  - continued Gena, and my joy
went out like a switched off light bulb. - Here
exactly, a collection... - I said. Gene us-
stared at me. - It doesn’t happen that
all the ores lay on the surface, and even in
one place,” I explained.
   We looked at each other, then
without saying a word, we went to the equipment room,
pulled on their spacesuits and, taking with them
robots, went outside. With the help of robots
We raked away a scattering of stones until
until we hit a solid rock. Ro-
The bots rang her ten meters away
deep, but further there was no ore -
solid granite... Indeed, as if scattered
panel collection. That's what I said when we
returned to the ship.
   “Come on, Lesha,” answeredGena. - To whom
should we collect it here?  Steppes and jungles -
plant kingdom. And at least one trace of ra-
intelligent life or, at least, the animal world.
   Only Gena said this, as in my
A guess flashed into my head. - But this is
there is a trace of intelligent life, - I said and about B-
explained why.  We started arguing. Gena
immediately rejected in the most decisive manner the "mi-
physical collectors", and firmly rested on
that the scattering of stones was brought by the river.
   Yes. A river flowed into the lake. Very complete
water, with a fast current. The peninsula
on which our ship stood, lay straight
in the path of the stream and reflected it along the Shore.
Gena was sure that things happen on the river
vodka, and the water level in the lake was once
above... In short, everything is simple, clear and without
all sorts of fairy tales.
   I perfectly imagined Genoa described
process.  Everything is logical, everything is very probable,
you won't dig it.  I only had one
counterargument: stones. They were all big
about a pound in weight, and their weight did not deviate
from the average value by more than one qi-
logram.  I knew this for sure - my robot is not
He only raked the stones, but also weighed them.
The stones are too heavy for a river like this, huh
the main thing is almost the same. And neither me-
there is no rain, no sand around - only
large, as if on selection. Gene missed mine
the argument fell on deaf ears and continued to press on.
I didn't mind: There's nothing elseWas. I just
I knew now that Gena was wrong. Probably
it looked funny from the outside. Gena
showers me with facts, builds Flawless
logical connections between them, and I, not having
Not a single compelling argument, just
I repeat: “Gena, everything is wrong...” In one word -
vom, our argument only ended with the fact that
we're tired of arguing.
   After that, we began to bring
in the second output samples.  They were needed
number, photograph each,
pack into boxes, and put the boxes and
secure it in the lost and found chamber. During this
work we didn't talk - a little soul-
attacked each other, and got pretty tired
completely  When is the last sample box?
Was placed in a cell on a rack in the cell
finds, the “street” became noticeably darker. On-
Sure enough, evening was coming. And then I
was the first to break the silence. “Gena,” said
I, before it gets dark, will go to the Shore,
I'll see what's there. Gena didn't mind. On Be-
It's still the same: a gray rocky desert.
I released my robot to look for stones in
similar to those we found on the peninsula, and
sat down on a large block lying right next to
water on the shore of a quiet creek.
   How beautiful our co-would look now
RaBl against the backdrop of sunset. Black with fiery
reflections on the body, standing completely
absolutely black shore. And the black is slightly different
washed reflection falls on water of the color of
lovedgold... But I saw before my co-
Fight only a gray shadow against a darkening background
Concrete sky, and a gray blurry spot
on a rough steel mirror of water. And
melancholy... melancholy... Not even green, but gray
like this whole landscape...
   No, Gena. There is someone on this planet.
But you won't believe it until you
you will collide with an artificial one in orbit
satellite; or until you see the smoked one
sky in airships; or (this is better than all-
he will convince you) until you are subjected to
About shelling from the Aboriginals. This is it
for you the only and indisputable recognition
ki presence of intelligent life. And what is replaced
except for the same weight of pieces of ore,
you wouldn't even consider
nu.  What is a forest to you? At best
a lot of trees. You, a resident of the metropolis of tech-
a nerd to the core, what could you see?
And I, a descendant of foresters in the fifth generation, saw
business I saw it, but didn’t understand it at first.
   When we admired nature for the first time
from orbit, I felt that deep
damn the joy I felt every time
returning to their native places. Something familiar
breathed on me from these forests and steppes.
When the probe brought us photographs of the surrounding
of the peninsula, I was surprised at first. Already
the forest had a very clean cultural appearance
Shore of the lake. But it looked so natural
sure... And when Gena said about the collective
tion, up toit finally dawned on me that the forest was
The shore is not wild, and not even well-groomed wild
- he is grown. Raised by more than one generation
excellent masters of landscape architecture.
Gena has not the slightest idea about this subject.
concepts. He would hardly be able to distinguish wild
taiga from the spruce grove near the Training Center
preparation for flying. The local landscape archi-
tectors will give earthly ones a thousand points ahead.
Even I, who am very familiar with this matter,
I didn’t realize it right away.
   After we cleared away a bunch of everything -
possible ores, I already imagined that pro-
happened to us upon landing. Locals
saw our ship, figured out the place
cages and built something around the peninsula
like an aquarium. Now they're watching us
give, look closely.  And a collection of ores
poured out all sorts of things, each piece as if
Selection They hinted to us that they exist. And you,
Gena, you say the river brought stones. Not
How can this river cope with such stones? I
I looked at the mouth of the river and a rush of
memories.
   I remembered my native quiet river. Evening.
The water is smooth. The sky is reflected in it one by one
alone.  There is no wind, the current is calm, and,
It seems there is no such force that could
break this mirror. I'm sitting on the trunk on-
willow tree hanging over the water and I look at how I’m doing
purple-golden clouds float underfoot
ka, illuminated from below by the setting sun.
Silence. Grace. Right under the willow tree
water, like onwindow glass, leaves lie
water lilies.  And right next to the trunk on the Shore there is no
Forgets shine in the grass like soft blue stars
daughters.  Meadow on the other bank of the river. For
there is a forest: tall ship pines. And
there, in the forest, where the pines end, the beginning
There is a mixed forest, thick hazel trees grow.
And a little further - a clearing with blackberries...
   I woke up. I woke up and immediately squeezed-
rushed from the bright light.  When my eyes
got used to it, my first thought was: “Where
am I skidded? But, looking closer, I realized
that didn't take me anywhere. I was there
the same place where he sat down on the stone. But instead
There was a forest on the shore of the dull gray desert.
That same flowering forest, amazingly beautiful
honeycomb creation of the local landscape architects
torov, which we liked back at the or-
Beat.
   Of course, I stared in amazement at
to the parties.  But I was even more surprised when
I saw what I was sitting on. The stone disappeared without a trace
yes.  Its place was now occupied by the trunk of a
willow tree hanging over the water. No matter how much I talk about
I rubbed my eyes, the willow did not disappear. Just like
the yellow water lily flowers did not disappear on the water
under the willow. Just as the tender-
Blue stars of flower-me-nots are at my feet.
   I looked at my watch. It turns out that I already
I've been sitting here for over nine hours. That is, I
I sat here all night. And during this time
according to my recollections, they created earthly
plants! Oh, yes, collectors... That's it for me
the surprise has dried up. It’s unlikely that anything will happen anymore
Nothing more amazing than this.
   And what air! God, how I miss the pacifier-
was inspired by this life-giving smell of the forest. I
stood up, took a deep breath and... straight
in front of me I saw a helmet hanging on a branch
my spacesuit... I'm just in case...
tea He glanced at the Bracelet. White light
- There's nothing dangerous in the air. I took the helmet to
hand.  Butterfly with a black-haired
with long wings, similar to the earthly Butterfly
admiral  It's time to go to the ship. Gena, on-
right, he’s already going crazy because of me: oBe-
He tried to return when it got dark and disappeared. By
on the way I met a group of several children
heaps of ship pines, hazel thickets
and a clearing with blackberries.
   How skilled the local craftsmen are!
landscape architecture. B their creation would-
Have new elements been added that
Some did not look like aliens. I couldn't
get rid of the feeling that among
there have always been flowering trees here
Ship pines are like hazel trees with their bright
always decorated the Lake Shore with cheerful greenery
ra that the willow always stood bending over
a quiet backwater, and that the water lilies were always blooming
on the water under its crown. From admiring this
I was distracted by the beauty of Grandma, who
she followed me all this time. Now
she rustled her wings near my very
th person. I stopped. Butterfly flew over
on the helmet and a littlejumped on it. - On-
Mek understood,” I said, placing my helmet on
place.
   Thank you, you warned me.  In the "aquarium"
only one percent oxygen, the rest is
nitrogen and argon equally. I fastened my helmet and
I wanted to go further, when suddenly, in an instant,
bright colors have faded, the sky has become
crashed into the concrete wall, and the water in the lake
- into rough steel. I found myself in again
"aquarium".  And the first thing I saw was
Gena's amazed face.
 - Lesha, is that you? - he asked.
   - Me, Gena, who else? Sorry. I'm here
stayed too long.  I sat down, you know, on a stone and
fell asleep.
   - Well, thank God! I thought you were completely
disappeared.
   - What happened?
   - He's still asking! I'm almost crazy
came down while I was looking for you. Better tell me where
been missing all night?
   - I’m telling you, I sat down on a stone and fell asleep.
   - On a stone? You weren't there!
   - How did it not happen? I was looking at the wrong stone,
probably.
   - No, that's it.
   Gena ran along the Shore. I'm following him.
Spider-Robots are behind us.
   - This stone? - he asked when he arrived
took me to the place.
   - Yes, this one. How did you find out?
   - Your spider came running and said that he didn’t
MAY find you. I ordered to show the place
where he saw you last. And he came
led me here.  - Gena lightly kicked the ka-
less  - You weren't here. We are with the spiders
They've crawled all over this coast - you're like in the water
sunk.  I'm tired, I went back toSHIP, POSITION
fell before dawn and went to look for you again.
And, on you, you appeared from somewhere. And se-
It wasn't there a kilometer ago.
   Wow! Apparently, I swore off too early
be surprised... What happens? "Ak-
varium" is not the surface of the planet, but some
separate space, and in it has a place-
then the grandiose scenery of the lake and surrounding
news  Oh, yes, collectors! Ay, yes land-
Shaft Architects!
   - Gena, I think I understand why you
didn’t find me... - and I told everything that
just occurred to me. During
my story, Gena’s face changed expression
changing from intrigued to sympathetic
hesitantly skeptical.  No, I didn't convince
him. Not a bit.
 “Your affairs are bad, Lesha,” he said. -
You urgently need to see a psychiatrist.
   I groaned... Damn technician! Computer! Super logic iron Without a single intention
to the imagination!.. I turned my back to
water and poured out the groan of his soul into space
shi: - Yes, show him, finally! And
I immediately had to squint. After
dimness of the "aquarium" daylight on the surface
ity seemed dazzling.  From the outside
Genes came to me strange and creepy
sound: an incredible mixture of a locomotive whistle and
menacing, suffering growl of overload
female electrical substation.  When I opened
eyes, Gena was spinning around with a frightened face
in one place, looking around.
   - Lesha, where are we? -he groaned, looking
to the treetops.
   - I just explained this to you.
   - But this cannot be!
   - You see now that it can.
   I sat Gena on a willow trunk, and after a while
for some time I managed to calm him down.
   “Gena,” I asked him then, “do you
Did you dream about anything at night?
   - Yes.
   - Tell.
   - Why is this?
   - Now this is very important for you.
   Gena looked at me in surprise, but
began to talk. He dreamed that he
walks in the ship grove and wonders,
how many cubic meters of lumber from it
it will work out... There was such a thing. Visited with me
nya Gena shortly before the start and I remember everything
looked with predatory eyes at the reserved
ship grove... Gena finished. I'm dis-
I told him what I had dreamed, and then
Bavil:
   - And now, Gena, pay attention to
what are you sitting on?
   - Willow, so what? - He said casually.
   The next moment he jumped up, as if
sat on a nail.
 - Willow!.. This is the same willow above the river!
But how?!
   “You see what I dreamed about,”
I answered calmly.
   - But this is not a dream!
   - Yes, this is not a dream. These are post collectors
fought while I was sleeping... Look around,
Maybe you'll find something else familiar.
   Gena looked, recognized him, then asked:
   - Which “collectors” are you talking about?
   - About those that were collected and given to us
collection of ores: about the inhabitants of thisplanets, then
yes. I’ve been trying to explain this to you for two days now,
that this is a planet with intelligent life. If only
did you have the slightest idea about landscape-
architecture, you would still see from orbit
that there are almost no wild ones on this planet
forests  Almost all the forests are grown here.
Very... I didn't finish. Gena extended his hand
to forget-me-nots.
   - Stop! Don't touch!! - I cried, but he
I've already picked one of the bushes. Tore it off, after
looked and quit.
   “Wow, the forget-me-nots are here,” he said.
he disappeared.
   A second later his voice sounded, surprising
lazy and slightly scared:
   - Lesha, where are you?
   - Yes, here I am, here, - with a sad
I answered with a sigh.
   I felt sad for Gena.
   - But I don’t see you.
   - Still would.  I'm on the surface and you're in
"aquarium".  Say thank you that the radio is not
turned off... They were offended by you. I,
By the way, too... His hands are itching. Color
He's itching to break the current... Just sit there...
feather with stones, and for now I’ll take a walk in the forest
su.
   - But in the instructions...
   - I remember, I remember. You can't do it alone. Just
it's written about you. People like you can't live without
looking into the forest - you'll break firewood. In all
meanings... Don't be afraid for me - spiders with
by me. All. End of connection.
   I turned off the radio.
   The spiders stood waiting for orders. And I
ordered that they change their feet
and manipulator hands. Kit for weak
th soil on your feetand Biokit on hand.
While the robots were changing gear and changing gloves,
ki, I took off the spacesuit and put it in a pile in
the back of my robot. Then he took off his shoes... How
It was nice after long months of flying
Feel the living earth with your bare feet.
   Half a minute later the spiders were ready.
Instead of metal supports with fingers, a hook
the holes in my legs were filled with soft plastic
pillows on which the robots could not fail
pouring Run in the snow. Strong metals
ical claws Were replaced by hands with soft
with such flexible fingers.  Butterfly, that's all
this time she was fluttering around me, jumping up and down
in front of my face and flew deep into the forest.
   “I got the hint,” I said and ordered
robots to follow me.
 The owners invited us to visit. I followed
Butterfly flying ahead.
------------------------------------------

(c) Ekaterina Borisova.
    Staritsa.


            Kovdyr.
          (ecological tale)

   I wanted to ask my grandfather what this is
sounds and who makes them. But I didn’t have time. Grandfather
looked at me slyly and said:
   - Kovdyr is sad, it means spring
Will be soon.
   - What is this “kovdyr”? - I asked.
   - Yes, such a bird.  How it will drag on
in the spring, he will immediately start asking the sun:
"Kovdy's grass will be; Kovdy's warmth has become
no; Kovdy-s snow will melt." The sun has a conscience
but it becomes and beginswarm up
to melt the snow. Kovdy Kovdyr will sing, Tovdy and
spring will come.
   It was somehow funny to listen to a fairy tale about
Kovdyre.  As if spring had really come
ah, somehow it became warmer.
   - Why does he ask the sun, and not
near the ground?
   “So why don’t you ask the earth,” he said
grandfather - She's sleeping. The sun gives heat, and the earth
When will it thaw again?
   I listened. Indeed you are the voice
soky whistles something similar
to "kovdy-y-y", and then switches to non-
intelligible muttering.
   I remembered a bluethroat with its
“I saw Vitya.” Here the phrase Was different.
   - What does he look like, this scumbag?
   - Yes, like quails, only larger ones -
like a jackdaw, they are so gray. They, shel-
we are getting married just before spring, what-
If the chicks were covered with last year's seeds under the snow,
feed the remaining ones.  Besides
until the snow melts, they have chickens
are displayed. And now the roosters are crowing, smelling...
   Grandfather looked at me and continued:
   - And how they guess. Tyutelka in
tutelku.  So understand them: either your instinct
them, or whether the Sun really
ut. That's it!



(c) Alone Coder.
   Ryazan.


            The future.
          Fantastic story

   I woke up from a coma feeling wrapped up
around me are hoses, cans andwiring. C
He forced his eyes open. From an obscure spot on
A booming word was heard against the white background - a word? fra-
for? - drowning in cotton wool, and it was dark -
ta.
   An eternity has passed.
   I woke up in a mask through which I could see...
there was no way (I squinted my eyes and, despite the distortion,
I saw something tense in the glass
on the right hand, probably hiding a needle
- the tube was reaching towards the unknown person's locker
appointments.  A sister appeared out of nowhere
ka, quickly ran away and returned, accompanied by
meeting of a doctor with a gray beard. Doctor
looked at the screen invisible to me, sighed and
nodded (obviously to himself).
   When they took off the mask, they let me clean it
throat with several stupid questions, like
DoBie: what’s my name, what’s the last thing I remember
(the language was not obeyed and forced to monosyllables -
ny answers), I am in full agreement with
the program squeezed out: “What year is it now?”
They informed me, and darkness fell again.
   I woke up without a mask and an IV. Bye
found arms and legs, lively sister
I managed to bring the doctor again. He said:
   “Of course, your voice won’t come back right away.”
update.
   But he also said:
   - Your body is still weak, and you can’t get up
I don't recommend it. You need to drink from this pipe.
   I tried to answer the phone, but
the hand, mentally raised, did not move.
Although I felt the folds of the blanket perfectly.
I had to catch the pipe with my lips.
   “You,” said the doctor, while Idrank
something warm and sweet, - basically, pop
you're doing well. But we'll talk later.
   He left.
   They turned me from side to side, smeared me
something about the back, from afar was shown more than once -
You take someone, - and I stubbornly waited for the doctor, -
but they tapped me, bugged me,
continued until I fell asleep.
   - Doctor.
   It turned out that I was sleeping, and this word is not pro-
vuchalo.  I woke up in the dark, ashamed
his importunity at such a time, from this
woke up again - already in the light.
   - Doctor.
   The doctor's place was taken by someone else -
already Without a Beard (and mustache), maybe years
thirty.
   “Sorry,” the man said. - To me
I'll have to answer your questions instead of the doctor.
questions.  The doctor would also like to, but he doesn’t
allowed.
   “Me,” he added, seeing my Bezz-
an old question, - the name is... ... I'm not a doctor.
I was introduced to your Papers. You...
(he said my name). You were lying in a coma, like
you understand, twenty-five years. Check
dena ingenious brain surgery, on
which was only possible to obtain permission
after the death of your relatives. If everything
will go great, it will give an opportunity
bring back to life a couple of dozen Poor People with
a case similar to yours.
   I tried my fingers. Started moving
pour! He continued:
   - By the way, are you a computer operator?
   I smiled, imagining the local
COMPUTER.
   -... Well, I’m an engineer"H..." That is
I'm an engineer by trade, but in reality I work
everyone. Me here...
   When he talked a little about himself and
I hesitated, I gathered my courage and asked:
   - It’s now... a year. Are we on Earth? -
Seeing my interlocutor’s bewilderment, I corrected
xia: - Well, are they already flying to Mars?
   - They fly... they fly...
   "Fly"?  I also asked in surprise:
   - Would you at least go to the moon?..
   - To the moon - I don’t know... That is, for
the last ten years - I don’t remember.
   Well, you'll have to part with a piece
The future. Although...
   - Do you have anything to read? Well,
newspapers, magazines...
   - I can get it, I’ll just ask permission -
doctors - they said something about
vision.  Come on,” he realized, “I
I’d rather read it out loud to you! There's only news here
tee.  Taking a square out of his pocket (here it is -
computer, I guessed), did some
manipulations and began to read:
   - Prime Minister... such-and-such
planned a meeting with... The government has established
the amount of indexation of social payments... On
today's trading in ... dollar rate
dropped below the one point twenty mark
five hundredths of an opec for one dollar...
   - Wait! What kind of currency is this?
   - Care?  A!  Organization of countries - ex-
oil porters.
   - OIL? But she... - I don’t even know...
It seemed that there was a smell of gasoline in the air. -
But it should have been replaced with something!
She's the samepollutes...
   - Well, you can’t do it so quickly... According to forecasts
- in 50 years... That’s so much more...
reoEquip - on it machines, boiler-
new... I, however, read about cars on
alcohol, but when will it be!
   My operated brain began to quietly
to slide down like a wedge... I clearly remembered
what about cars covered in alcohol (equals
as well as about solar, electric, inertial
on- and steam-powered ones) they spoke at random
th years before my birth.
   - But now... a year???
   He was surprised:
   - Yes!
 - Okay... let's move on with the news.
   Then I learned even more new names
politicians, including the pope
Rimsky, one politician, however, was mentioned
in the obituary; sports news I missed-
turned deaf ears, and in the end there was a division of the press
dullness.  My informant asked if it was necessary
read.
   - Why are they at the end? - I asked.
   - In general... it’s just unpleasant news-
sti. If someone doesn’t want it, maybe they won’t be cleaned
stop, don't listen, don't look...
   I agreed to continue and it was time-
wives the scale of his events. It turned out that
in my home capital there are two evils -
maniac (one is the Mad Sniper, the other is
goy - stabs people with a knife in the crowd), kidnapping
but for the purpose of ransoming three known and two ma-
famous personalities (for me they were all
whether strangers), but in the international arena
terrorists blew up something here and there
in retaliation forthis and that. Including
railway bridge.
   Having finished reading, my friend asked to leave -
absolutely urgent. He wasn't too
frank, but felt like he was in a hurry
he is not on official duty. B my time
with such a look they were in a hurry for a birthday
to the homies.
   The next day he didn't come. I re-
I wanted to talk to my sister and asked
How can I get a TV into my room? She
she said it was expensive, but no one
will not give, but when I recover, I, of course,
but I can buy myself the newest one. And no-
what if, I asked, no one has any left
old TVs?  After all, they are changed to
new brands? She said yes, they are changing -
She's already on her third.  Where are the other two?
They broke, of course,” she said.
   I only have until the end of the day once...
think about this strange world - similar to
the one that I left, to the point of parody,
- about its engineers and technology.
 The next morning my guest returned.
   “And what is this “H...”,” I asked, “who-
Who do you work for?
   - Corporation "H...", quite large.
   - Is this here?
   - Everywhere... in forty countries.  Well, and
here too. Her Hospital.
   A lot about your corporation and its subsidiaries
he did not tell about the divisions, citing pro-
production secrets. The corporation is engaged in
tion turned out to be anything, and “science, ra-
Of course, too!” I humbly asked
talk aboutnew developments, and it's strange
looked at me. I asked for at least pa-
list of publications; he said that the public
tions are a bit boring, but you can bring them.
   By that time I was already free to sit down
on a pillow and could move his legs.
   The weekend has passed;  on Monday morning
my interlocutor brought two glossy magazines
la, pointed out the pages and got ready to leave. I,
however, he managed to look inside and noticed:
 - But this is advertising information!
   - Why advertising?  Everything is described here
in detail: technology "T..." is used,
Made in a factory in the Philippines...
   I also looked at the second magazine. Yes and
yes: technology named, trademarks
named, there are photographs and comparative
characteristics. I asked:
   - But how do they work? Here's about it
not a word! - returned to the cover. Written:
"Scientific publication".
   My interlocutor's eyes expressed
sadness, fatigue and resentment. It was a look
teacher, to whom he should look at the non-
an intelligent, stupid student.
   - How can this be published? Then
anyone will see and start producing such
same!
   I let him go, leaving the magazines for myself.
   He was right: and the rest of the publications are from
They were stingy with useful information.
Strictly speaking, I could not find it at all
they contain no useful information. Technology
gies, brands, countries of origin;
countries, technologies,comparative characteristics
Ristics;   comparative characteristics,
expert assessments, prices. Nothing more.
   What do they teach in school now? - thought
I.  As if in response, sirens sounded from the street.
on.  I didn't mind the first time in the new
life look out the window, hobbled towards it
and saw: far below the teenagers were running -
ran away from the car, leaving it open
door. The car was ordinary, with wheels.
   “Doctor,” I asked during the examination,
- why were you restricted from answering mine?
questions?
   - Very simple.  I am a scientist and I work in
"H..." - I have no right to disclose information -
tion for official use. Every conversation
a thief with you - for me there is a risk of losing my job
and can't find a new one.
   I looked at him carefully. He Was
probably older than me.
 He saw how this world was created, and I
- overslept.

01/26/2004, Ryazan

               * * *

 When a story has no beginning, but has
logical end is normal when
There is a beginning, but there is no end - then-
it’s tolerable, but when the story has no
never ending - it's already too much! This
feeling like turning on the TV, and
there is a very interesting film there, which
you look just enough to understand, oh
what we are talking about and, as always, at the very in-
in a fresh place, the electricity is cut off. B
Such moments are tormented by all energy workers.
cumming hiccups.Dmitry's story evokes similar feelings.
Riya Bystrova (Alone Coder) "The Future".
I’ve only just gotten the hang of it, but the story is already complete...
chilled!  However, maybe the author specifically
created such an effect? As if small
a window into a huge world.
   I'm not an expert in literary subtleties
yah, and neither scold nor praise on the matter
I can’t, but that the story leaves no equal
but soulful - that's for sure.
                            Alexey KuBrack

 L1> From the point of view of literature, the story
wonderful.  The essence is written without "water"
Events. Convexly reflected anxiety from the unclear
of the hero's position in this world and somewhere
looming surprises just around the corner
suddenly (for the hero) the coming Future
th.
   But. Surprises around the corner obviously consist of
some Byak. Alas, the gloomy mood told
for such a common and characteristic feature of science fiction
ical literature of the last decade.
The future is represented by a degraded version
present.  (For myself this gloominess is
I call it "hrenrealism").
   In a word, like Tvardovsky:

 "...a book about a Fighter
   No beginning, no end.
   Why Without a Beginning?
   Because there is not enough space.
   Why Without End?
   It's just a PITY for the guy."

 Although this is just my personal opinionSUBJECTIVE
opinion.
------------------------------------------

BORIS STRUGATSKY


       Does a person think?
    (c) 2003, Computerra Magazine

/This parody of the dearly loved and revered-
my Grandfather - Ilya Iosifovich Varshavsky -
I remember throwing it on one of the more boring
of the most recent writing sessions this year
1963 or 64.  Funny: today this
the text is perceived as a set of callous
Platitudes taken from Robert Sheckley
and Stanislav Lem, and then, in fact, he
represented a very tasty hodgepodge of
from the Bornest, although parodied, but
the freshest ideas, lively discussed between
professional science fiction writers, mainly
zom, during feasts and libations. (Pro-
than, one cannot help but admit that the question “Cape-
is man alive?" to this day, agree-
be far from your permission.)/

Some new data on the origin of vi-
yes Homo Sapiens Epektyc. Translation from foreign
known language and notes by I. I. Varshavs-
whom.

/*Preface by translator*

You know, I am deeply convinced that the pre-
there is no need to write anything. An unknown car
Thor said about this: “In the beginning It was
word" (not a preface). And you know I
I agree with him, because the word is not required
there is no preface if this word is anything
worth it. And if itis worth nothing, then pre-
Discourse can only spoil the law
clear impression of artistic inconsistency
perfection.

But since the text cited does not have any
chala, I wanted to compensate for this
disadvantage  I tried to be brief,
because the shorter the preface, the more
it's easier to read.

You, of course, have already read the text (I always
It was not clear why to introduce two
different concepts - preface and afterword
ie - if they mean absolutely one thing
and the same: reasoning unknown to anyone
people who are of no interest to anyone before
reading the book and are only interested in criticism
kov - after reading). So, text you already
read it and now you're waiting for what's in the preface
they will tell you where it came from and in what way
Actually, that's the point.

I must say that these are the most difficult questions
sy of those that can be asked on this subject-
du. I can only guess about the answers.

The thing is, last year I was for
border on a business trip and met with
an old friend who is the plenipotentiary there.
Naturally, we went to the Louvre and spent
all day, enjoying the wonderful exposure
tion of Gauguin, and when I woke up, I saw
that I'm lying in my room, dressed in a coat,
but without pants. The coat was not mine, but in my pocket
mana, in addition to the glass with the monogram N, there was also
and a small flat clip for portable
voice recorder. The text was written on the tape,
which I handed over to one
Institute, where he was transferred with the help of one
new electronic machine with the code name
"Spy and diplomatic decoder
correspondence .6". The translation was carried out according to
then Doctor of Sciences Andreev, and therefore he
represented 7,832,642 possible options
riant of discrepancies.  The task, as always, is
science, was to choose a variable
ant to taste.  So, Andreev is still
studies option .0 001 007 representing
a random combination of grammatical
forms: ram, ovnyuk, ovny, ovnetso, ram-
cart, etc. The main customer of the institute for
I was interested in option .1 234 567, which
ry begins like this: “Petya, John has us-
Mork.  Aunt went to Havana to suffer from un-
moderate sweating. Take care of your teeth, cheek and
tapeworm..."  This option is on demand
they are now trying to decrypt the customer
second approach.  And I chose the option
.7000000 and processed it literary, then
there are periods and commas, because
The machine can't do that. Of course my choice
not accidental. Origin of man, brain,
thinking - these are all great topics to discuss
thick Conversations and therefore interest me
for a long time.  About the origin of man is good
said my one-year-old grandson: “What are you all
descended from the Monkey, he said, me
not surprising.  It's strange why you are still
They haven't been imprisoned yet. Bcell." About the brain is not bad
ho responded Galen: “The brain,” he wrote, “
eat the most perfect food, prepared
given by nature." This is said strongly, but not
true, because the most perfect food,
made by nature, this is cognac with lemon
nom.  And I wouldn't be surprised if it were the end
The purpose of Matter was not to create a king at all
nature - man, and the most perfect
cognac with a slice of lemon, and a man in
played a purely auxiliary role in this process
the role of an instrument of creation./

Mosya: ... ingruently-non-conformingseparaBel-
This is a form of pseudo-life that is not always editable.
I'm done.

Lupus Est: Thank you. Do you want something-
Anything to add, Orud?

Orud Gai: Yes, with your permission.

Lupus Est: Please.

Orud Gai: I would like to express a few
words regarding the accompanying circumstances
Tel.  The diplomat only touched upon the pre-
backstory, which is natural, since it
the topic is ultimately...

Voice: Louder!

Orud Gai (yells so loudly that nothing can be understood)
army; gradually his voice fades): ...E-
that planetary system parasitizes the hundred-
a swarm of dwarf stars and contains eleven
number of major planets.  We chose the third one,
because it has a Great Atmosphere-
new satellite with excellent alBedo, and to me
I really like moonlit nights. The atmosphere of the planet
nets - we called the planet Earth - we had to
change significantly - there was a massunnecessary gases that caused us problems
belt perpendiculars. It was funny on Blue
give a catastrophic extinction of huge
masses of Meaningless protoplasm, forms of co-
which Were Countless. Particularly active
quite large animals disintegrated,
similar to our medium-sized mountain lizards
measure. I was very tired during the flight -
I was working then on the mathematization of the problem
we are the “meaning of the word” - and in order to relax,
the first ten to fifteen million local
years (about six of our days) devoted
Cleaning up this very neglected planet. On
the seventh day I felt empowered
do something more important and sat down
for the work, entrusting Mose... I apologize-
I... entrusted the diplomat to deal with the betrayal
by reducing the axis of rotation to create a suitable
current climate in the area where we decided
settle down.  However, I can't concentrate
could.  First of all, Mosya... I apologize...
graduate, having finished with the earth's axis, strong
but I missed you. And secondly, I was terribly interfered with
small hairy creatures wandering
around in search of food. Their hairy skin
full of parasites, their tails and shameless
soiled naked...  awakened in me some
strange sensations forgotten by our ancestors and
feelings. Relatively simple analysisby-
said that Moses should be entrusted with producing
you have some actions with these creatures.
Indeed, the analytical chain Mosya-
beings made it possible to solve both simultaneously
PROBLEMS: Creatures will no longer be distracting
me, and Mosya will stop being bored. (The hum of the
Losov in the hall: “Very interesting!..” “No,
It's Gai after all!  Gai is Gai! Which
did you make a semantic attempt, Orud?..") I
I think they will forgive me if I don’t
talk about methods. Still today
I’m not defending my thesis, huh? (Approving
laughter in the hall.)

So, first I tried to instruct Moses
drive away these tailed ones with clepsid launchers
rami, but very quickly realized that I was going if
not by false means, then, in any case, not by
the simplest way.  It’s not difficult to imagine
to see what it is - a woman busy with ho-
economy: just look at our
government  
Therefore, having quickly corrected the consequences of per-
what a rash decision, I confess, I
offered Mose to build a simple cyber-
a netic system capable of saying so
say, build a wall between me, wear-
body of the Mind, and these vile hairy
creatures.     I called Cybersystem
(laughs)... forgive me,please, I
called her (laughs completely
indecent)... oh-oh... called him a Man
(laughs; laughter in the hall ). Ooh! Forgive me, old man...
I'm cumming now.  Technical specifications I
formulated in a general form, so the machine
turned out to be quite capable. Tailed
drove away well, although she took it over from them
some bad habits: scratching under
with mice, search, a lot and pointless
Chat, try to grab more, and then
pay less, etc. That’s all the previous story
riya. It seems to me that it’s time Mosya worked well,
and you can assign her a title and a diploma.

Lupus Est: Thank you. Who wishes for
give questions? (Pause.) Are you, Mosya?

Mosya: I'm sorry, my TV started
gene I would like to go out for two or three minutes.

Lupus Est: O! Congratulations! Please, pro-
shu... I hope that during this time the meeting will be formed
simulates questions...

Orud Gai: I could answer those who wish...

Voice: How to formulate the meaning of a being
vania (with laughter in his voice) Man?

Orud Gai: The meaning of existence - bow-
tion.    Quasi-stationary differentiation
meaning: admiration for the Posterity,
bow to the Force, bow to
Personality, worship of Pleasure
and, in part, admiration for Reason, but
this last is weakly expressed.

Voice(skeptically): PereraBotka information
tions at the level of protoplasm...

Orud Gai: What do you want from a Man?
(Laughs; laughter in the audience.) Excuse me... O-oh!
This is a diploma work!

Voice: But they could, in fact, encode
for example...

Orud Gai: Uh, my friend! Who cares?
It’s good to do this. For such a reason I have
Pooh, there was no time then, and even now
just to spare

Voice: Could you at least bow to Ra-
zoom to significance...

Orud Gai: Why does he need it? Pick your nose?
This Reason would only prevent him from doing
natural functions of the mechanism... A
here comes Mosya. Is that all, Mosenka?

Mosya: Yes.

Orud Gai: Well, that's good.

Lupus Est: Any other questions?

Voice: What does he look like?

Mosya: Who?

Voice: Man.

Mosya: Ahh... How can I tell you... Vi-
share a new machine for scratching udders
nor among the takhorgs? Lower crank rods,
upper geniculate, movement in only one
side - towards the visual receptors
ditch... The shell is caped, serves as one
at the same time for discharge...

Voice: H-yes...

Mosya: None of this seemed important.

Voice: Please remind me the parameters
analyzer.

Mosya: Protein, spherical, de-
ten watts, with a capacity of 10^2 half-cans, not
recovering.  It works according to the principle
from the redundancy of information.  But from Redundancy
small Memory is insignificantuselessness,
since the basic information required
stored in the hereditary code.

Voice: Knowledge is at least inherited -
Xia?

Mosya: No.

Voice: Tell us briefly about self-reproduction
Vodka

Mosya: Bisexual cycle...

Voice: Just something?

Mosya: Ensures overpopulation in 10-
20 thousand local years. Reproduction begins
is leaving the race, and... 

Voice (disappointed): Well, it’s primitive...
Why was it simplified so much?

Mosya: I already said that I considered it my
task to fill in the white spots in a series of ma-
tires operating at the level of quasi-mind...

Voice: This is all understandable, but still... Lu-
come on, can I speak up?

Lupus Est: Please.

Voice: I have the impression that the deep-
The lomantka worked diligently. Some
nodes - for example, olfactory receptors
or, say, the appendix - are very fulfilling
witty and even elegant. ESPECIALLY appen-
dicks.  That's a very clever idea in itself.
- encode the omega potential in the appendix
ha-sense.  True, I'm not sure that the scheme
Will work in the form it is intended for
false, but nevertheless, this is not Bezynte-
resno.  Magnetic traps of the analyzer too
graceful.  But you know, all this produces
impression of shooting from a fowler at a galaxy
tick.  The basis itself is so primitive and
God, so muchlittle promise that I will decide
strongly against awarding the diploma holder the title
I.  I would recommend the product again and again
Mother is the very principle of the mechanism. Creation of qua-
intelligent machine - very important, necessary and
interesting, although a private problem, and to it
should be taken seriously. In fact,
what kind of quasi-intelligence is this? Sorry for the inconvenience-
joke, but if these people of yours can-
MAY BE CAPABLE OF SERIOUSLY argu-
whether they are true or not (in a quasi-sense, of course),
then I have no doubts about this question
doesn't call. In fact, the work of a diploma student
came down to creating another Pointless
and the hopeless race is not always
real quasi-organisms, which have already been invented
BUT MORE THAN ENOUGH, ESPECIALLY ORGANIZED
mov on a protein basis.  Most primitive
quasi-mind, the most primitive quasi-senses on
level of three-stage instinct - everything
it already Was, Was, old and boring. I
I suggest the following.  As for the diploma
mantki, then the work is considered unsatisfactory
telny and offer her a new topic. What
concerns these races on which it is protected
so many diplomas, and even - due to an oversight -
dissertations, then I propose to convene a queue
new session of the Last Judgment and consider
there is a question about their further existence.
I feel most of them will have to
convert into cosmic dust for the south-
eastern branchMeta-supergalaxies, where
There is a lack of natural
society  After all, I have already warned many times
gave that attention should be paid to the system
the topic of diploma defense, when diploma recipients Be-
approach the problem responsibly, create
quasi-living races, often even without
breakpoints. By the way, you provided at least
stop?

Mosya: Yes, of course. Half-life of a race
about forty thousand local years. Pre-
There are two options for stopping:
high-quality genetic tumors or - on
case of program transformation - stop
according to the Bach-Trach method.

Voice: Atomic nucleus?

Mosya: Yes...

Further on the film there is an untranslatable hiss-
tion.